The Indianapolis Colts placed quarterback Carson Wentz on the reserve/COVID-19 list Tuesday — a move that will almost certainly keep him out of Sunday’s critical game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Wentz, who is unvaccinated, would have to quarantine for at least 10 days under the existing NFL policy if he tested positive for COVID (but perhaps less than that if the policy is amended in the coming days).
UPDATE: NFL Network reported Tuesday that the NFL has indeed changed its policy, allowing unvaccinated players who test positive to return five days after a positive test, assuming they are asymptomatic. If Wentz meets all of these criteria, he could conceivably play Sunday.
Colts add Carson Wentz to the reserve/COVID-19 list in Week 17
Wentz’s roster designation is the manifestation of the organization’s worst fears ever since he insisted before the season that he would not get vaccinated. Rookie Sam Ehlinger is in line to start if Wentz cannot play. He’s taken 18 NFL snaps in three games.
Ehlinger is the only other quarterback on the Colts’ active roster. Brett Hundley and James Morgan are on Indianapolis’ practice squad.
But none of those players are nearly as good as Wentz. Indeed, some sportsbooks pulled the game off their board immediately after the news broke. The Colts were favored by as many as 9 points at the beginning of the week.
Wentz’s bad news came just three days after he had his best moment in a Colts uniform — and best professional moment, period, in years. He threw a game-sealing touchdown pass late against the Arizona Cardinals.
NFL Wild Card race impacted by Wentz’s designation
That result made the Colts’ playoff picture as clear as 8K. A win over the Raiders Sunday would clinch at least a Wild Card berth. It would also keep Indianapolis’ faint hopes at a division crown alive.
So the news was certainly a positive development for the AFC South-leading Tennessee Titans. But it is also a big boost for the Raiders, who basically need to win out to make the playoffs.
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The other teams in the AFC playoff hunt — the Dolphins, Ravens, Chargers, Browns, and Steelers — are actually hurt by the news.
They would prefer the Colts knock off the Raiders and effectively eliminate Las Vegas from consideration for one of the two other Wild Card spots. The Colts finish their season against the Jaguars, so they’re almost certainly going to get in either way.
